Lomilomi was made famous around the world by Hawaiian tourism, but is also a traditional practice in the neighbouring Polynesian Islands of Tahiti, French Polynesia, Samoa and Tokelau.

Practitioners use the palms, forearms, fingers, knuckles, elbows, knees, feet, even sticks and stones. It may be performed with or without emollient.

Traditionally in ancient Hawaii lomilomi was practiced in four contexts:

As a healing practice of native healers -- kahuna lāʻau lapaʻau (healers) and kahuna hāhā (diagnosticians)
As a luxury and an aid to digestion, especially by the ruling chiefs (aliʻi)
As restorative massage within the family
By ʻōlohe lua (masters of the Hawaiian martial arts)